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Some things you need to know about Home Choice Lincs

No. There are no penalties if you don't use all three of your bids, unless you are in a priority band such as Band 1*, Band 1 or Band 2. If you've been presented with suitable properties but you've not placed any bids then the Home Choice Lincs team could look to change your band.

So the message is, if you're not in a priority band, then you don't need to use all three of your bids. Frivolous bidding on homes you don’t actually want to live in wastes everyone’s time and money.

Not at all. We know that some people stay up until midnight on the night before the next bidding cycle in order to be the first bidder on a home. This gives you no advantage over someone who bids later.

In fact, it could well be that the last person to bid ends up being the one who the house ends up being allocated to. This is because they might be in a higher band, and therefore having a greater need for the home than you.

No, the same applies from the previous point. It doesn't matter whether you're the first to bid, the last to bid or even in the middle. It all depends upon your banding and how long you've been within that band.

Absolutely - if your circumstances worsen then there might be a possibility that your need for a home increases. If you don't let Home Choice Lincs (HCL) know, there is no way they can support you or increase your banding.

Similarly, if you don't update your personal details on HCL such as a change in mobile number or email address then you might miss your chance to get that home you really want.

Yes. Not turning up to a viewing wastes the time of our staff and means you won't be eligible for that home. If you can't make an appointment to view one of your homes, it's essential you give us as much notice as possible. You could be suspended altogether from the system if you repeatedly don't turn up to viewings.

There are plenty of public access areas where you can log onto Home Choice Lincs such as a local library, local link, or you could Ongo’s Customer Centre in Cole Street in Scunthorpe.

If you're not confident about using computers you can get help and support with essential online services you may need to use, now or in the future every Wednesday at Central Library from 5pm to 7pm. It’s free of charge but booking is essential.

There are thousands of people registered to bid on Home Choice Lincs and only a limited number of homes available each week. We are always trying to build as many new homes as possible. The key is to keep looking each week - your dream home might just come available.

Whilst we understand that you sometimes need to see a home in the flesh, there are plenty of details and photographs of the home detailed on the original listing. It's important you have a good look at this before you bid to make sure it's somewhere you really do want to live. Otherwise you're wasting your time and ours, especially if you keep turning down homes when you go to view them.

Like the last point, it's important you do your research. You can get details about the area in the advert itself and you can even use things like Google Maps and their Street View feature to take a virtual tour of the area where you could end up living.

Again - it's important you take the time to make sure the home is in an area you'd like to live in before you bid on the home. Otherwise you're wasting your time and ours.

There are no penalties if you don't bid; if there isn't a home you like the look of this week then don't use your bids. Wait until next week where there might be something more suitable. We'd rather you took some time to make sure you bid on a home you really want than feel like you have to bid on something you don't want.

However, if you are on one of the higher priority bands like Band 1*, Band 1 or Band 2 then your needs to get a home are likely to be more urgent so we and Home Choice Lincs expect you to be actively bidding. Otherwise, there is a risk your banding will be lowered as perhaps your need for a home isn't as urgent as you've suggested.

Of course, if you no longer need to be on the Home Choice Lincs register, then please contact them to have your application removed - if you don't bid for a long time, they will try to contact you to check whether you want to remain with them.

Yes, the longer you are on the list, the more your chances increase of getting to the front of the queue. However, this is only within your band - if there is someone bidding on the same home as you that is in a higher band, they will always take priority over you as their needs are said to be greater.

So say if you and someone else were a Band 2 bidder, if a Band 1 bidder bids, they will be given priority over both of you.

However, if you and someone else were a Band 2 bidder, and you had been on the list longer, but no higher banded bidder bids on that home, you would have the highest chance of getting that home.

A Kwik Key home is one that's available to let straight away regardless of your banding - they are let on a on a first come first served basis (providing you are eligible for social housing and can afford the home).

If you see a Kwik Key property advertised that you are interested in you need to contact us using the phone number provided on the property advert.